Theft prevention system



March 9, 1937.

THEFT PREVENTION'SYSTEM A. E. BURCH, JR., El AL 2,072,941

Original Filed May 23, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l J 4 U .10 R

II I .4 TTORNEY.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. E. BURCH, JR, El AL THEFT PREVENTION SYSTEM Original Filed May 23, 1931 March 9, 1937.

/ ATORNEY.

i atentecl Mari 9 193'? UNITED STATES 2,o72 ,941- I THEFT PREvsNTioN SYSTEM Arthur E. Burch, J12, and Enos Cornwall, Kansas; City, Mo.; said- Burch assigncr, by mesne assi'gnments, to Enos Cornwall Kansas City, Mo.

Application May 23, 1931, Serial No. 539,50 v

Renewed July30,l936-- l 14 Claims;

Gur invention relates to a theft prevention systems; ,anmmere: particularly to a system utilizing means: producing'anirritant gas, such as a tear gas or similar incapacitating gas to prevent or interfere with: the activities of robbers when the sameliszreleased into the air.

Qur improved theft preventing system comprises: means' for releasing: the gas producing means; which includes: a fusible electrical ele- O ment', which upon-fusion actuates the means Whereby'the gasgenerating means is set in action andmeans:fonclosing-the-electrical circuit wherebythe current is: passed through the fusible element torfuse the same, which means is so con- 15 structedthatihe same-will-not fuse the element by acoident as it is'fully as important to avoid accidentalzoperation of the means as it is to provide v means which will readily release the gas producing. material whenthis is desired, said cir- 90 cuiticlosing meansipreferably comprising a foot operated member which must be moved in a plurality, of-directions to close the circuit, and which can be moved-by means of the foot without any. appreciable motion of the foot being noted by anyone in front of the usual cage or countenprovided ina bank or similar place, as a relativelysmallmovement of the foot is necessaryto actuate-the switch in spite of the fact that the movement must be in predetermined directionsto avoid accidental movement of the switch actuatingmeans,

It isa further purposeof our invention to provide a. system-of the above mentioned character, which comprises means: for: projecting the irritant gasin a predetermined direction and means for producing a general scattering distribution of the gas, said meansbeing: either used separately or in conjunction with each other, but being, preferably used in conjunction with each other, because, particularly,- in bank holdups or similar robberies,..usually more than one person participates in-thesamaand while it is desirable to direct the.irritantgastocertainspecific points of'the room, it is also desirable to provide a gen- 45 eral distribution thereof at the same time to incapacitate other members of the band of robbers; ifthere is'more than one.

It is'a further purpose of our invention to provide anew andimprovedswitch closing mecha- 50 nism comprising afoot operated member, which mustbemoved ina plurality of directions to actuate "the same so as to close the electrical circuit'imwhich the fusible elements actuating the gas producing means" are, located, said switch 55 closing meansprefer'ably being-alever that is both tiltable and slidable, and which must be moved bothupwardly and substantially horizontally to move thesame to' switch closing position;

It is another object of our invention toprbvide a new and improved irritant gas distributing means comprising a nozzle or projecting device having a flaring portion and a-tubularportion, within which a cartridge or shell is located cont'aining gun-powder or'similar material and the gas producing material, said shell-or cartridgeim eluding-a fusible electrical element extending into the same andinsulated from the metallic parts thereof, said fusible element igniting the powder when the element flashe'sdlle to the'passage of electrical current therethrough to expel the irritant gas producing means from the cartridge into the tubular member and projecting the gas through the flaring portion of the devices in' the direction desired;

It is still another purpose of our invention to provide means for producing a scattering or spreading of an irritant gas comprisinga bomb, which' 'is suspended, and which is held in suspendedfcondition by a member hav-ing a fusible pdrti'omwhich will be flashed to release the bombwhen an electrical current ispassed through said fusible portion, causing said bomb to drop' to the floor or some other surface beneath the-samawhereupon the samewill open, causing the release'of the gas producing mater-ial therein, which" willcause the same to spread in-all dire'ctionsfr'om the pointof release thereof. 7 Our invention further contemplates the use of resilient means-holding the suspending memher under tension, and aiding in the release of the bomb from its suspended positionwhen the suspending member is fused;

An important advantage of using the electrical fuse element over previously used means foractua'ting tear gas producing devices, which'usually' tion will appear as the description of the dravi'r-v ings proceed's; We -desi-re to have it understood, howeventhat We do: no't'in'tend to limit ourselves to'-=the exact details shbwn' or described, except as definedin the claimsb In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, showing our improved system applied to a room, such as a banking room.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary rear elevational View of a bank cage, showing our improved gas projecting apparatus and the switching apparatus in relation thereto.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the gas projecting apparatus on a somewhat enlarged scale.

Fig. 4 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section through the same, said view being taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section of the switch actuating means used in our system, showing the same in normal position.

Fig. 8 is a similar view of the switch closing mechanism, showing the same in switch closing position.

Fig. 9 is a section taken on the line 99 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is a section taken on the line Ill-l0 of Fig. '7.

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the bomb and supporting means therefor.

Fig. 12 is a view thereof taken at right angles .to Fig. 11.

tem, and

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional vview through the rear portion of the cartridge and associated parts shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 6.

Referring in detail to the drawings, our improved theft preventing system, which is particularly adapted for use in semi-public places where money is handled, such as banks, is shown as being applied in the drawings, to a banking room having the outside doors 20, the usual tellers cages 2|, having a wall portion 22 below the windows or openings in the same, the windows being indicated by the numeral 23, and being usually provided with shelves 24 extending forwardly at the bottom thereof.

Our improved theft preventing means comprises means for directing irritant gas through the slotted members 25 provided in the apertures below the shelves 24, and in any other apertures in the walls or counters, furniture or fixtures of the bank or other business that might be located in the room to which the theft preventing means is applied, and means for scattering irritant gas in all directions or in a plurality of directions, which may be located at any points in the room desired at an elevated point, such as adjacent the ceiling, the same being shown in Fig. 1 as being mounted in a fixture 26 adjacent the doors The gas scattering or distributing device is indicated in the diagrammatic view, Fig. 15, illustrating the system shown in Fig. 1, generally, by

the numeral 26, and the gas directing projecting devices in the svstem are indicated generally by the numerals 21, in Fig. 15. The system is connected with the usual electric service mains or any other electrical circuit the same being indicated by the numerals 26 and 29, the conductor 30 extending from the line wire 28 and being provided, with the branches 3| and 32, which lead to the switches 33 and 33', said switches being identical, and while two are shown, it is obvious that any number thereof can be provided at any desired points, the wires 36 being divided into as many separate switch branches, such as the branches 3| and 32, as may be desired.

All of said switch wires or lines are united at a junction 34, from which the conductors 35 and 36 extend, the conductor 36 leading toa fusible electrical element mounted in the gas scattering apparatus 26 so as to actuate the same, and the conductor 31 leading from said fusible element to the line wire 29. The conductor 35 is divided into a plurality of branches, depending on the number of gas scattering and directing means 2'! that are employed, the branches being indicated by the numerals 38 and 39, each leading to a fusible element in a member 27 for actuating said member 2'! to release the irritant gas therefrom, and each being provided with a conductor extending from the opposite end of said fusible element, which conductors are indicated by the numerals 46 and 4!, and which are connected with the conductor 42 leading to the line wire 29.

It will be seen that each of the members 26 and 21, no matter how many there may be, are connected in parallel with each other in the circuit so that it is immaterial whether the fusible elements are made so as to fuse at exactly the a same current load, as the fusing of one thereof will not break the circuit through the others. All that is necessary is that all of said elements fuse at approximately the same current load. It

will also be obvious that if any one of the switches in the branch lines of the conductor 36 are actuated, the irritant gas producing meanswillbe actuated to produce the gas, and that all-said means will be placed in action by the'closing of any one of the switches. v

The gas projecting and directing devices are shown more in detail in Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive, and comprise a casing having a tubular rear portion 43, and a flattened flaring portion 44, which serves as a directing nozzle or spreader member for the gas produced in the tubular portion 43 thereof. The side walls of the portion 44 diverge toward the open end thereof, as will be obvious from Fig. 4, and the top and bottom Walls '46 thereof converge toward said open end to provide a wide flat orifice for the discharge of the gas from the apparatus, which is in the form of an elongated slot, the slot being indicated at 25 in Fig. 1 as coinciding with a slot in the wall 22.

The opening in the wall is made to fit the mem-- ber 44, and the same may project very slightly beyond the wall 22, as shown in Fig. 3, if desired.

The gas scattering device 21 is mounted in position on the wall 22 by means of a bracket secured to the rear face of the wall and to the tubular portion 43, said bracket comprising a transversely extending member 47, which has the bowed out portion 46 intermediate the ends thereof, and which forms half of a clamping member, the other half of which is formed of a member 49, which is secured to the member 47 by means of the bolts 56 to clamp the member 41 to the tubular portion 43 of the member 21.

Swingingly mounted on the bolts 5! on the outer-ends of the transversely extending member 41-, are the arms 52 of said bracket,- whioh have the. feet 53 thereon, which are secured by any suitable securing members 54 to the wall '22. Said members 21- are usuallysecured underthe shelf 24, which extends inwardly from the wall 22 into the cage 2|, so that said apparatus is hidden from: view, the slotted aperature 25 being evenhidden, due to the fact that the shelf 24 projects over the same inwardly of the wall 22'.

Mounted withinthe rear portion of the tubular member 43, is a shell or cartridge 55, which is made'in a well knownmanner, and contains irritant gas producing-means in the forward end thereof. and gun powder 56 inthe rearen'd thereof, projecting and releasing the gas producing means. inthe forward end ofthe shell or cartridge sothat the gas is projected forwardly into the, tubularportion 43 and into the flaring or nozzlelportionlll. thereof, and the metallic casing onshell ofthe cartridge is indicated by the numeral: 511. When the gas'is projected forwardly itiscaused tosprea'd in the nozzle 44, the-spreading action being. increased by means of the indentations I08v in the walls 46 providing a constricted: passage I09 therebetween.

A metallic electrical fusible element 58, having itsreducedor fusible portion 59 mounted substantiollit centrally withinthe gun powder 56 in the shell 5, is provided, extending transversely throughthe same, and being preferably made of the usual link fuse used. for. electrical purposes. The amperage under which thefuse operates may be of any desired amount that may be preferred, a low amperage fuse being, of course, used. The fusible element extends through the casing 51 and; througha screw-threaded metallic cap 60 provided qn therear portion of the tubular member 43; the same being insulated from the metal of, the members 5'! and 6,0,on one side thereof by means of a sleeve-like member of, insulating ma terialfi I, suchas'rubber tubing.

The conductors leading to the fuse, such as the conductors 38 and are; secured to theouter ends of thefuse 5,8,in such a manner that, no strain is placed on the fuse by a pull on the wires 38, and 40. Said wires and the ends 62-,of the fuse58, are secured; under the binding posts IIO,.and II 0'- provided on the cap memberrfifl, being insulated from the binding post IIO; by means, of the insulating washer III and the sleeved insulating washer H2, and clamped in electrical contact with each other by the binding nuts] I3, The binding screws, outer ends of the l fusej'and conductors are embedded in a coating 63 ofparafi'n to insulate. the same from the casing 51 and to indicate any damage or breakage to the connections, or tampering therewith, which will be indicated by breakage in the paraffin coating 63. While a paraffin coating is referred to, it is obvious that any other insulating coating material, which can be broken when it is neoessary to remove the cap 60, maybe used. Theparaflinis also poured into the space between thecap 60. and the shell 55 to seal the same.

One of the, gas spreading or scattering devices 26 is shown injFigs. 11 to 14 inclusive, the same comprisingan insulating stem portion of rubber or similar material I06, which is electrically connected with an electrical screw plug I01, which can be screwed into the usual electric socket, such as a lamp socket. The stem portion I06, has the conductors 64 mounted therein, the same being insulated from each other and being connected 1.115 with the contacts 65 mounted on the insulating "members 66 and 66, said contacts having the heads 61 thereon extending through to the outer side of the insulating member 66 and having the opposite ends of a conductor 68 secured thereto. The conductor 68 extends through a substantially conical insulating-sleeve 69, which may be made of rubber or similar material, around which is coiled a spring I0, said spring extending intothe socket H formed in the lower enlarged end of the member I06, the conical sleeve 69, insulating the conductors 68' and the contacts 61 from the spring I0, and having a lip portion I2'= that insulates the outer end of the spring from'gthe portion of the conductor which extends around the bomb 13 in a manner to be described below. I

The shell portion or casing of the bomb. T3 is made of -metal or other suitable material andfis made of, two separable halves loosely fitted together so that the same will separate, releasing the gas forming material withinthe same: so as to form the tear gas or other irritating gas that maybe provided in the bomb.

A circumferential rib T4" is provided on the bomb at the point between the halves thereof,

and a band of insulating material I6 extends around the bomb over the joint between the halves thereof, said insulating strip having the ends, 11 thereof separated slightly, and having an opening I8 in the top thereof. The insulating strip I6 is provided with a widened portion 19, which has slits cut in the edges thereof so that the same will fit around the bomb I3, said wide portion being located surrounding the opening I8, and provides a seat for the end of the spring I0 on the bomb. The member 76; has a having a weakenedportion at 83 in saidgap,

which serves as a fusible element when electric current is passed through the conductor. The fusing of the portion 83 of the conductor 68'will cause the same topart atthis point, and will release the bomb from the supporting means therefor, the spring I0 aiding in the separation of the bomb from the supporting means by tending to project the same downwardly. When the. same hits a surface below the same, such as the floor 84, it will separate at the joint I5, releasing the irritant gas producing means within the same.

The switch operating mechanism is shown in Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive, and is used in conjunction with any desired form of switch, a push button switch 85 being shown, which is closed by pushing the projecting'push button 86" thereon inwardly. The same is mounted on an upstanding bracket 81 on a base 88 of the switch operating means, said bracket 8! having a laterally extending flange or projection 89 thereon, under which the lever 90 is loosely mounted, said lever being made in the form of a fiat bar havingthe upturned end 9| thereon at one end thereof, and

the bracket 81,- which terminates in an inturned lip 95, and the projection 93 is ordinarily seated in the groove formed under the lip 95 when the switch is in open position and the switch operating member is in normal inoperative position. The base member also has a housing provided thereon, which has the upstanding side walls 96 serving as guide members for guiding the vertical movement of the lever 90, and a transversely extending top portion 91, to which the spring 98 is secured, which bears on the upper surface of the lever 99. The base 88 may be provided with flanges 99 for securing the same to the floor or other supporting surface.

To operate the switch actuating mechanism to move the switch to closed position, or from the position shown in Fig. '7 to the position shown in Fig. 8, it is necessary to insert the foot within the yoke 92 on top of the housing 9'! and shift the same slightly to the right, as viewed in Figs. '7 and 8, against the tension of the spring Illl, to move the end 93 of the lever out from under the lip 95, and then to raise the same with the foot by engagement of the foot with the upper transverse portion of the yoke to move the lever 93 out of alignment with the member 94, which acts as a stop, and while in such raised position to shift the yoke to the left, as viewed in Figs. 7 and 8, by means of the foot Within the yoke 92, which will cause the upwardly extending arm or flange 9| on the lever 9|] to engage with the push button 86 to actuate the switch 85 to circuit closing position. Thereupon the fusible elements 58 and 83 are caused to fuse, and the powder 56 is ignited, releasing the gas from the cartridge 55, where upon the same is directed out through the nozzle 54 and releasing the bomb 13, which drops to the supporting surface 84 and is opened by contact therewith to release the gas producing material therein to contact with the air.

In Fig. 2, one location for the switch operating means is shown adjacent one of the windows of the cage on the floor 84, although, obviously, other locations for the switch operating means and as many switch operating means as may be desirable may be utilized.

What we claim is:-

l. A theft prevention system comprising tear gas apparatus and means for actuating said tear gas apparatus comprising an electric current supply, an element associated with said gas apparatus fusible upon the passage of electric current therethrough and means for closing the electrical circuit between said current supply and said fusible element comprising switch actuating means movable to circuit closing position only by a plurality of movements in different directions.

2. A theft prevention system comprising tear gas apparatus and means for actuating said tear gas apparatus comprising an electric current supply, an element associated with said gas apparatus fusible upon the passage of electric current therethrough and means for closing the electrical circuit between said current supply and said fusible element comprising foot operated switch actuating means movable to circuit closing position only by a plurality of movements in different directions.

3. A theft prevention system comprising tear gas apparatus, including a gas producing cartridge, and means for actuating said tear gas apparatus comprising an electric current supply, an element mounted in said cartridge fusible upon the passage of electric current therethrough and means for closing the electrical circuit between said current supply and said fusible eIement comprising switch actuating means movable to circuit closing position only by a plurality of movements in different directions.

4. A theft prevention system comprising tear gas apparatus including a gas releasing bomb, and means for actuating said tear gas apparatus comprising an electric current supply, an element associated with said bomb fusible upon the passage of electric current therethrough to release said bomb, and means for closing the electrical circuit between said current supply and said fusible element comprising switch actuating means movable to circuit closing position only by a plurality of movements in different directions.

5. A theft prevention system comprising tear gas apparatus including a gas producing cartridge and a gas releasing bomb and means for actuating said tear gas apparatus comprising an electric current supply, an element mounted in said cartridge fusible upon the passage of electric current therethrough, an element associated with said bomb fusible upon the passage of electric current therethrough to release said bomb and means for closing the electrical circuit between said current supply and said fusible elements comprising a switch actuating member movable to circuit closing position only by a plurality of movements in different directions.

6. A theft prevention system comprising tear gas apparatus including a gas producing cartridge and a gas releasing bomb and means for actuating said tear gas apparatus comprising an electric current supply, an element mounted in said cartridge fusible upon the passage of electric current therethrough, an element associated with said bomb fusible upon the passage of electric current therethrough to release said bomb and means for simultaneously closing the electrical circuit between said current supply and said fusible elements comprising a foot operated switch actuating member movable to circuit closing position only by a plurality of movements in different directions.

7. A theft prevention system comprising tear gas apparatus and means for actuating said tear gas apparatus comprising an electric current supply, an element associated with said gas apparatus fusible upon the passage of electric current therethrough and means for closing the electrical circuit between said current supply and said fusible element comprising switch actuating means movable to circuit closing position only by a plurality of movements in different directions, said switch actuating means comprising a lever, a stop holding said lever against movement toward switch closing position, said lever being movable transversely to its switch actuating direction to move the same out of alignment with said stop and thereupon movable into switch closing position.

8. In apparatus of the character described, foot operated switch actuating means comprising a switch actuating lever, a yoke thereon, a stop with which said lever is normally engaged to hold the same against movement toward switch closing position, said lever being movable by engagement of the foot with said yoke to lift the same out of engagement with said stop and thereupon movable substantially horizontally toward switch closing position.

9. In apparatus of the character described, foot operated switch actuating means comprising a switch actuating lever, a yoke thereon, a stop hold the same against movement toward switch closing position, said lever being movable by engagement of the foot with said yoke to shift the same out of interlocking relation with said stop and to lift the same out of engagement with said stop and thereupon movable substantially horizontally toward switch closing position.

10. In apparatus of the character described, foot operated switch actuating means comprising a switch actuating lever, a stop with which said lever is normally engaged to hold the same against movement toward switch closing position, said lever being movable by engagement of the foot therewith, to shift the same to move the same out of alignment with said step by an upward movement of said lever and to move the same lengthwise of said lever in a substantially horizontal direction toward switch closing position.

11. In apparatus of the character described, foot operated switch actuating means comprising a switch actuating lever, a stop with which said lever is normally engaged to hold the same against movement toward switch closing position, said lever being movable by engagement of the foot therewith to first disengage the same from said stop and then move the same into switch closing position by a plurality of movements in different directions including an upward and a substantially horizontal movement of said lever at the engaged end thereof.

12 In apparatus of the character described, foot operated switch actuating means comprising a switch actuating lever mounted for tilting and sliding movement, a stop with which said lever is normally engaged to hold the same against movement toward switch closing position, said lever being movable by engagement of the foot therewith, to successively tilt and slide the same 7 to move the same out of engagement with said stop and into switch closing position.

13. In apparatus of the character described, a cartridge holder comprising a tubular portion and a flaring discharge passage, a cartridge in said tubular portion, a fusible electrical element extending through said cartridge and, said tubular portion and having the ends thereof extending outside said holder, electrical conductors, means connecting said fusible element with said conductors and sealing material enclosing the exposed portion of said fusible element and said connecting means.

14. In apparatus of the character described, a cartridge holder comprising a tubular portion and a flaring discharge passage, a cartridge in said tubular portion, said tubular portion comprising a removable cap member, a fusible electrical element extending through said cartridge and said cap member and having the ends thereof extending outside said holder, electrical conductors, binding posts and nuts connecting said fusible element with said conductors and sealing material enclosing the exposed portion of said fusible element, said cap member, said binding posts and nuts.

ARTHUR E. BURCH, JR. ENOS CORNWALL. 

